RCPD Director Brian Peete
MANHATTAN, KAN. – Wabaunsee County Sheriff Eric Kirsch delivered a speech at a music event in Riley County this past weekend. He spoke on many topics, while taking a strong political stance on some. On May 11, Sheriff Kirsch posted his speech on social media with accompanying images – it appears that he was an invited guest speaker.
Some of his positions included identifying law enforcement as the "logistical backbone of both slavery and the holocaust," as well as sharp criticism of elected officials, and advocation for the de-criminalization of marijuana in Kansas. The Sheriff also told attendees, "Don't get stoned until I leave." These statements were made in our community, not his, and as such have put me on the defensive because the real potential of damaging the impartiality the Riley County Police Department has worked decades to earn and maintain.
More importantly, they create a disparity in the standards law enforcement officers are held to and expected to follow within this department.
The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, and as an elected official, Sheriff Kirsch has the right to express his views to potential voters on an array of topics. Unfortunately, the Sheriff was knowingly outside of his jurisdiction and represented himself as a law enforcement officer in a speech and in appearance (with at least his badge and potentially his service weapon being visible in his postings). Had an RCPD employee made the same public comments, it would have resulted in an Internal Affairs investigation and potential discipline. Government employees (including police officers) can and often are disciplined for speech and social media postings if their comments disrupt the workplace and/or morale or negatively affect the department's ability to perform its duties through the public trust. That is legitimacy. As public employees and officials, we surrender a certain amount of autonomy.
To be clear, I am not debating nor refuting the Sheriff’s opinions, or right to free speech. But I am forced to respond to the attention
his actions have generated within our jurisdiction and publicly address how RCPD's staff is expected to conduct itself as public servants.